Magnesium can be more than one thing. Magnesium can be a silver-white light malleable ductile metallic element used in metallurgical and chemical processes, or, it can be called Magnesium carbonate – a white crystalline salt (MgCO, that occurs naturally as dolomite and magnesite, or, it can be magnesium chloride – a bitter deliquescent salt used as a source of magnesium metal, or, magnesium hydroxide – a slightly alkaline crystalline compound use as a laxative and gastric antacid, or, magnesium oxide – magnesia, or magnesium sulfate – a sulfate of magnesium – a white salt MgSO used in medicine and in industry (Epsom Salts).
So what magnesium source are we concerned with when it comes to HEALTH?
Did you know Magnesium is a mineral. A mineral not often heard about except when it comes to the term ‘Milk of Magnesia’.
Milk of Magnesia was something that I was given as child growing up when my stool was hard or it was difficult release. My sisters and I were always given Milk of Magnesia and told it would soften our ‘stool’ so it could be passed easier. But is that all we know about Magnesium?
As a mineral, it may well be one of modern medicine’s best kept secrets. Medically speaking, magnesium is “a white mineral element found in soft tissue, muscles, bones, and to some extent in the body fluids. It is a naturally occurring element on earth, being extracted from wells, and sea water. The human body contains approximately 25 gm. of magnesium, most of which is in the bones. Muscles contain less of it than they do of calcium. It is also in the blood.” (Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary)
Magnesium is found in food, grains, fruits, and vegetables, in sufficient quantities that it is not necessary to make special dietary planning to include it. A typical diet contains 200 to 400 mg., however, very little of this is absorbed. When in the younger years, magnesium is usually not of much concern to the health of a human person; but, as one ages magnesium is depleted more quickly in the body and then, suddenly, we, as senior citizens are told we need to take a magnesium supplement- at least 300-400 mg. per day.
The function of magnesium is to activate enzymes that catalyze reactions between phosphate ions and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). “It is also associated with regulation of body temperature, neuromuscular contraction, and synthesis of protein.” “A deficiency is similar to that produced by hypocalcemia, weakness, and mental depression.”
What you don’t hear or know is that magnesium is the regulator of over 300 vital processes in your body. You hear about Mineral Baths today as being good for you. In the era of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, the people soaked in mineral baths to help restore the magnesium in their bodies. In Chinese Medicine it is considered the “lamp of life”. A good soak in the tub filled with warm water and Epsom Salts, will do the same thing. The magnesium in the Epsom Salt is absorbed into the body through the skin and into the blood stream.
I have clients who tell me their woes about sore muscles, constipation, low energy levels, fatigue, etc. I have experienced the sore muscle syndrome myself. But I know that Magnesium will always come to my rescue, when nothing else does.
So, if magnesium can regulate the vital processes of the body, what are some of those processes? Here are a few examples: Magnesium can…..
- fight off pollution of the blood, and regulate calcium
- support a healthy immune system
- help you digest protein and metabolize fat
- maintain nerve function
- keep joints fluid and mobile, and relax muscles
- help balance blood sugar and curb sugar cravings
- create energy
- reduce offensive body odors
- combat stress
- normalize/regulate bowel issues
- insure deeper, and more satisfying sleep
- emergency rooms have magnesium on their crash carts, and use it intravenously to quickly regulate proper heart rhythm for those in need of heart support.
Magnesium being a natural mineral cannot be patented. It is safe and has natural restorative powers. As a supplement you can get it in pill, capsule, or powdered form. I prefer the powdered, which I put in water or a smoothie, or juice. The dosage varies depending upon your health situation, as does the type of magnesium you might need. Consult your doctor for the dosage and type good for your needs. Overdosing on magnesium, as with anything else can have adverse side affects.
I love magnesium and, ever since I heard about the above benefits, use it on a regular basis. It does work with the natural body to help the body heal itself. I find it to be, as well, a great pain reliever, and a great supplement when taken during the detoxification process, which is the golden key to maximum good health!
God Bless!
FYI-HEALTH TALK 